Profesionālā maģistra studiju programma

4. 
   Grading scheme and grade distribution guidance for the graduates of Doctoral study programme “Communication Management” in the study year 2008./2009.:
   

Grade	Meaning	Grade distribution
10	with distinction	2.33%
9	excellent	16.84%
8	very good	34.47%
7	good	25.35%
6	almost good	13.05%
5	satisfactory	5.87%
4	almost satisfactory	2.10%
3	unsatisfactory	-
2	unsatisfactory	-
1	unsatisfactory	-

1. 
   Overall classification of the qualification (in original language): not established
   

5. 
   INFORMATION ON THE FUNCTION OF THE QUALIFICATION
   

1. 
   Access to further study: acording to the existing law is not granted
   
2. 
   Professional status (if applicable): acording to the existing law is not granted
   

6. 
   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
   

1. 
   Additional information: --------
   
2. 
   Further information sources:
   

School of Business Administration Turība Academic Information Centre

Study Information Centre Vaļņu iela 2, Rīga, Latvia

Graudu iela 68, Rīga, Latvia LV-1050

LV-1058 Phone: [phone]

Phone: [phone] http://www.aic.lv

http://www.turiba.lv

7. 
   CERTIFICATION OF THE SUPPLEMENT
   

1. 
   Date: 01/06/2009
   
2. 
   Signature: Antons Kiščenko ____________________
   
3. 
   Capacity: Rector, “School of Business Administration Turiba” ltd
   
4. 
   Official stamp or seal:
   

8. Information on the national higher education system.

General education (overall duration – 12 years).

After completion of compulsory basic education (9 years) four types of programmes are offered at general secondary education (vispārējā vidējā izglītība) (grades 10–12): a general one or others emphasizing liberal arts and social sciences; or mathematics, natural sciences and technical subjects; or vocational subjects. Latvian language and literature, first foreign language, second foreign language (minority language in minority schools), mathematics, history, physical education, basics of economics and ICT are compulsory in all programmes. Each type of programmes has its own set of compulsory and optional subjects.

School year lasts 36 weeks (except examination periods) – from the beginning of September till the end of May. The total number of study hours in 3 years of general secondary education may vary from 3150 to 3780 (i.e. 30–36 per week) depending on the programme and individual choice of subjects.

To be awarded a certificate of general secondary education (atestāts par vispārējo vidējo izglītību) candidates sit examinations in at least five subjects and pass/fail tests in up to four other subjects. Examinations are taken in: Latvian language, a compulsory subject of the particular programme, a subject chosen by school and two subjects chosen by the candidate. Leavers of 4-year vocational secondary education (profesionālā vidējā izglītība) have to pass a qualification examination and 4 centralised compulsory examinations (the same as after general secondary education) in order to receive a diploma on vocational secondary education. Centralized school-leaving examinations serve as a basis for the admission to higher education.

Higher education

Access to higher (tertiary) education (HE). All holders of general secondary education certificates and diplomas on vocational secondary education meet the general admission requirements. However, the universities are free to set specific requirements, e.g. to choose which subjects have to been taken at school level to qualify for admission to a particular programme.

 

Grading system. The state standards for higher education set the following ten-point marking bakalaurs (bachelor) and maģistrs (master) degrees are awarded both in academic and professional HE. Both types of bachelors are eligible for studies in master programmes and both types of masters (including holders of degrees in medicine, dentistry and pharmacy – 6 and 5 years respectively) – in doctoral programmes.

Academic higher education follows academic education standard and is aimed at preparing graduates for research and providing theoretical background for professional activities.

Bakalaurs (bachelor) degree in a branch of science is awarded after the first cycle of academic studies. Bachelor programmes comprise 120–160 credit points (180–240 ECTS) or 4–6 semesters of full-time studies. They include: compulsory part ≥50 CP (75 ECTS), optional part ≥20 CP (30 ECTS), thesis ≥10 CP (15 ECTS) and some subjects of free choice to earn the rest of necessary CP.

Maģistrs (master) degree in a branch of science is awarded after the second cycle of academic studies comprising 80 CP (120 ECTS), out of those thesis results in ≥20 CP, compulsory part includes theoretical aspects of the field (≥ 30 CP) and their practical application in solving actual problems (≥15 CP).

According to Standards of first and second level professional higher education, its aim is to provide in-depth knowledge in a field, enabling graduates to design and improve systems, products and technologies as well as to prepare graduates for creative, research and teaching activities in this field.

Professional bakalaurs (bachelor) programmes are designed to ensure professional competence, they comprise at least 160 CP (240 ECTS), out of those: general courses (≥15 CP), theoretical courses of the field (≥36 CP), specialization courses (≥60 CP), optional courses (≥6 CP), practical placement (≥26 CP), and state examinations including thesis (≥12 CP).

Professional HE programmes leading to maģistrs (master) degree comprise no less than 40 CP (60 ECTS), out of those: up-to-date achievements in the field – in theory and in practice (≥7 CP), practical placements (≥6 CP), state examinations including thesis (≥20 CP) as well as research training, courses of design, management, psychology etc.

Apart from the programmes leading to bakalaurs (bachelor) and maģistrs (master) degrees, there are other types of professional higher education programmes.

First-level professional HE (university college) programmes comprise 80–120 CP (120–180 ECTS) and lead to a CEDUC 4th level professional qualification. These programmes are targeted mainly at labour market. Yet, the graduates of the first-level programmes can continue their studies in second-level professional programmes.

Second-level professional HE programmes lead to a CEDUC 5th level professional qualification. Such programmes can comprise either at least 40 CP (60 ECTS) for holders of bakalaurs (bachelor) degrees or at least 160 CP
(240 ECTS) for secondary school leavers. In both cases programmes should include a practical placement of at least 26 CP (39 ECTS) and graduation examinations including thesis (≥10 CP). Graduates of programmes including the 70 CP (105 ECTS) compulsory part of the bakalaurs (bachelor) programme, have access to master studies.

Doctoral studies. From January 1, 2000 onwards a single type of doctoral degree Doktors (Dr.) is being awarded in Latvia.

Maģistrs (master) degree (or the equivalent) is required for admission to doctoral studies. Doktors (Dr.) degree can be achieved at public defence of a doctoral thesis which may be a result of three to four years of full-time doctoral studies at a university or an equivalent amount of independent research while working at a university, research institution etc.

Latvian Council of Science appoints promotion councils and sets the procedures for awarding doctoral degrees.

Credit point system. Latvian credit point is defined as a one-week full-time study workload. An average workload of a full-time study year in most HE programmes is 40 CP. Latvian credit point system is compatible with ECTS. The number of ECTS credits is found by multiplying the number of Latvian credit points by a factor of 1.5.

Grading system: a 10-point grading scheme for knowledge assessment.

 

Achieve­ment level	Grade	Meaning	Approx. ECTS grade
very high	10	izcili (with distinction)	A
	9	teicami (excellent)	A
high	8	ļoti labi (very good)	B
	7	labi (good)	C
medium	6	gandrīz labi (almost good)	D
	5	viduvēji (satisfactory)	E
	4	gandrīz viduvēji (almost satisfactory)	E/FX
low	3–1	negatīvs vērtējums (unsatisfactory)	Fail

 

It must pointed out that approximation with the ECTS scale is unofficial and cannot be used for official comparison with marks recorded in a Latvian education certificate or diploma.

Quality assurance. According to Latvian legislation, state-recognized degrees/diplomas may be awarded upon completion of an accredited programme in an accredited HE institution holding a state-approved Satversme (by-law). Quality assessment includes self-evaluation report by the higher education institution and peer evaluation. Evaluation teams consist of at least three experts, with only one from Latvia. In most cases the other two experts are selected from Western Europe or from the Baltic States. Decisions on programme accreditation are taken by the Accreditation Board, while those on institutional accreditation – by the Higher Education Council. The first accreditation cycle was completed in 2001. Recurrent assessments have to take place once every six years.

More information:

1. On educational system            http://www.izm.lv

                                                 http://www.aic.lv

                                                 www.eurydice.org

2. On status of programmes/institutions:        http://www.aiknc.lv

Addition to the Table 1. of the self evaluation report on Doctoral study programme "Communication Management" of the School of Business Administration Turiba (SBAT) Comparison of study programme to same level study programme accredited in Latvia and another implemented in EU member state

	University of Latvia	University of Jyväskylä
Programme	Communication Science	Organizational Communication and PR
Degree awarded	PhD in Communication Science	PhD
Enrolment requirements	Master’s Degree in social or humanitarian sciences	Master’s Degree
Programme goals	to educate highly qualified researchers and teachers in Communication Science, as well as highly qualified communication professionals with internationally recognised competence in Communication Science and internationally recognised doctoral degree	tertiary level studies to develop independent and critical scientific thinking in organisational communication and public relations as well as prepare and publicly defend an independent research based scientific work in this field
Form and Duration of studies	3 years or 6 semesters of full time studies; 4 years or 8 semesters of part time correspondence studies	full time studies – no definite duration
Credit Points acquired	144 CP (216 ECTS)	240 ECTS
Individual Research and Doctoral theses	compilation of doctoral thesis and submission to the promotional council - 100 CP (150 ECTS), 8 CP (12 ECTS) for independent studies and research	compilation of doctoral thesis – 210 ECTS
Acquisition of pedagogical skills	obligatory study course in Tertiary education didactics: contemporary theory and practice” (4 CP – 6 ECTS), 14 CP (ECTS) for participation in implementation of bachelor and post graduate study programmes	not foreseen
Comparison of study courses with SBAT	1) similar proportion of obligatory research preparatory courses (research strategy and methodology in Communication Science) and doctoral thesis (independent research) in the programme that includes regular and obligatory theoretical seminars with scientific advisor and participation of study programme management in discussing, advising and supervising the doctoral thesis; 2) similar stress on development of different branches in Communication Science except that the SBAT programme foresees possibilities for specialising in a narrower field; 3) difference is the absence of Communication Management study courses in the obligatory part of University of Latvia programme and the non inclusion of library sciences, information science theory and communication ethics in the elective part of SBAT programme	1) similar proportion of obligatory research preparatory courses (theory and philosophy of science, quantitative and qualitative research methods) and doctoral thesis (independent research) in the programme that includes regular and obligatory theoretical seminars with scientific advisor and participation of study programme management in discussing, advising and supervising the doctoral thesis; 2) similar stress on interdisciplinary studies and development of different branches in the field of Communication Management; 3) difference is considerably smaller proportion of study courses acquired (only 20 – 30 ECTS), however study courses in theory and basics of research methodology are obligatory
Distribution of study courses in blocks	1) compulsory part in the University of Latvia programme – 122 CP (183 ECTS), SBAT programme – 136 CP (204 ECTS); 2) restricted optional part of University of Latvia programme – 22 CP (33 ECTS), free optional part of SBAT programme – 8 CP (12 ECTS); 3) similar proportion of doctoral thesis – 100 CP (150 ECTS) foreseen in University of Latvia programme and 80 CP (120 ECTS) in the SBAT programme	1) greater flexibility in organisation of study programme, involving the Methodology Centre of the Faculty of Humanitarian Sciences and doctoral schools on a nation wide scale in the implementation of compulsory study courses, especially courses in research methodology; 2) doctoral students have an individual study plan and similar plan is foreseen in the new doctoral study regulations at SBAT

On the whole, it can be concluded that the doctoral study programmes analysed are very much similar, except that the University of Jyväskylä and SBAT programme are more orientated towards Communication Management and University of Jyväskylä programme foresees a greater scope for compilation of doctoral thesis according to the tradition in continental Europe.

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